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Science, God, both point to life's start

In his recent letter, Victor Reilly states that the answers to life "are more complicated than that." Knowing God's truth about life makes complicated answers become "more simple."

Pregnancy begins when a human sperm fertilizes a human ovum. Simultaneously, God infuses an immortal human soul into that embryo. The fetus derives one half of its genetic code from its mother and 50 percent from its father.

He/she is a separate person from the parents, with his or her own genes, unique DNA, distinct anatomy and physiology, individual personality and missions in life. He/she is neither the property of the mother nor the father. The mother nurtures the fetus in the womb until it is born, and for many years thereafter, but God's creation living within its mother's uterus is a separate creature from her body. He/she lives within the mother's uterus, deriving oxygen and nutrients from her across the placenta until it is mature enough to live independently of her.

The fetus is a full-fledged human being from the moment of conception, and is entitled to all of the guarantees of our Constitution -- namely life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, all of which are denied by abortion.

The Catholic Church has opposed in vitro fertilization and petri dish pregnancies since they were first introduced. The destruction of a human embryo to obtain embryonic stem cells is murder. Adult stem cells obtained without destroying human life are already showing much promise.

Scripture tells us that human life begins at conception (Jer. 1:5; Ps. 139:13-16, Luke 1:26-38, NIV). Science also tells us that human life begins at conception. Both of these sources give us true, simple answers to when human life begins.

Eugene F. Binet, M.D.

George Vozniak, president, Greater Augusta Chapter of Georgia Right to Life